Converting reciprocating into rotary motion



NTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

C. B. GALLAGHER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CONVERTING RECIPROCATING INTO ROTARY MOTION.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,993, dated November 28, 1854.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, C. B. GALLAGHER, of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Mode of Applying Steam Power to Machinery; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked theron.

The nature of my invention consists in substituting a combination of machinery in place of the common crank which will save the power now lost on the centers.

To enable others skilled in t-he art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

I construct on the main shaft A Figure l a cog wheel B, I also construct of like size and dimensions another cog wheel C on a parallel shaft D, said shaft to be geared with the 'main shaft by spur wheels E. I construct a rack F to gear with cog wheels B and C said rack to be attached to piston rod by shaft and to run between cog wheels B and C to be geared alternate with one and the other, said wheels B and C to run far enough apart to admit rack F to run free of one when the least in gear with the other. Thus rack F being geared with wheel B of main shaft, a forward stroke will give a corresponding motion to main shaft, and at the end of said stroke, rack F is thrown out of gear with wheel B and into gear with wheel C, thence the backward stroke will continue the same motion and power to main shaft which had been given by forward stroke. Rack F is to run in a carriage G the same to have a longitudinal` movement and to be otherwise held steady by arms H and to be moved with rack F from the gear of one wheel to that of the other by a long shaft I having segments J which gear with cogs K on the under side of carriage C (see Fig. 3). Said' shaft I to be moved by levers L (see Fig. 4) to come in contact with slides or racks M which are geared with segments J. Levers L to receive movement from other levers N (see Figs. 5 and 2) which same receive movement from cogs O on wheels B and C. Said levers N to be each moved by distinct cogs one of which gives forward motion and the other backward motion to main shaft. The throwing of rack F from the gear of one wheel to that of the other to be simultaneous with the change of stroke of piston. The gear of rack F with wheels B and C to have one inch more or less play between the cogs and levers L and N to be constructed in accordance therewith so that rack F will be thrown out and into gear without binding.

I shows braces which fall in behind arms H and hold carriage and thence rack F steady in gear of wheels B and C. Braces P are held in their places by springs Q and moved out of place by projections on the ends of rack F coming in contact with levers R the same connected with braces P by rods S. Thus the application of steam power is steady, uniform and without loss.

I am aware of the prior invention of Charles A. Watson for improvement in rotary motion patented August lst, 1888, and that impracticability of the same consists in the great friction caused and necessary power required to di'sengage the teeth of his racks from the wheel, which in mine is obviated and the great weight of the frame and two racks which would be too heavy a strain on the piston at 'the end of each stroke, in my mode I only have the one rack attached to the piston rod, the l frame standing still. Finally I do not claim his invention or anyother of similar character which have been invented prior to my own, but simply my mode of combining the different parts of machinery to effect the desired purpose, as above explained.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The above mode of applying steam power, caloric or any other motive power that may use the straight cylinder, to machinery, in place of the crank as above explained reserving t-he right to vary the construction of the same to suit the different kinds of engines (without changing the principles of invention as above explained).

C. B. GALLAGHER.

Witnesses:

A. B. GREENWOOD, I. R. ROGERS. 

